Incandescent Camaraderie
by Nightshade Shrub
Summary: The bright friendship between Ukitake and Kyouraku will always be that big wonder to everyone else, no matter how many words tried to explain it [75 themes from my dear friend, Eriea].


**Prompt:** 80 themes given to me by my friend, Eriea, words randomly organized by her as well.

**Word Count: **a wee bit long ( approx. 3,900 words)

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but this piece of writing.

**Notes:** Switching from their Academy to Gotei 13 days. Might confuse you because of the randomness, but it's nothing that terrible. This only denotes friendship between the two characters, and there are some hints of their sentimentality towards other characters. However, you may look at it in a different light, if you want ;)

Written while listening to **Sakura Biyori** by_ Hashimura Mai_. This is my very first bleach fic and I hope you all like it.

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**Incandescent Camaraderie****  
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**1. Strangers**

When they entered the Shinigami Academy, they instantly saw each other, even though they primarily didn't know who the other person was. They stared and scrutinized every detail about the other person, until one of them reached out a hand to be shaken. Up until today, no one knows who made the first move to friendship. If they knew, then they were certainly not telling.

**2. Perfect**

They were the perfect duo. Upon every match that they have battled, no one else but Genryuusai-sensei were able to make them concede defeat. However, in all the perfection, there was a flaw, and Ukitake and Kyouraku knew very well the flaws that run through their veins.

Which is why they were the perfect duo; they understood their significant blemishes better than anyone else does.

**3. Psychic**

They didn't believe Genryuusai-sensei when he offhandedly commented that they would someday become two of the strongest captains of the Gotei 13 that the old man held together for longer than they had realized. Now, they knew better than to ignore their former sensei's silent rambles about undeniable potentials in certain individuals.

**4. Destiny**

Some said it was serendipity that they met, seeing that they were the only two wielders of twin zanpakuto, and the strongest of the captains, too. Others argued that it was mere coincidence that two people from opposite ends of the worlds ended up as friends. Others claimed that it was a stroke of luck that they were sent to the same place, at the same time. Ukitake knew that it was only a glimpse of his indefinite bad luck (not that he cared anyway). Shunsui asserted that it was because he believed it would happen that it did.

**5. Limit**

When Kyouraku saw Ukitake halt for a mere second during his practice match against Kurosaki Isshin, he immediately used shunpo to move directly in front of his friend, telling Isshin that the match was over, even before Genryuusai-sensei had caught on what was going on. Behind him, Ukitake coughed and collapsed on his friend's back, with Kyouraku's arms supporting him.

**6. Resurrection**

When Ukitake opened his eyes, he felt large headache and an itch in his throat. He also felt the soft fabric of a familiar pink haori covering his freezing body.

**7. Furious**

After Kyouraku stopped talking for him for a week, Ukitake learned never to call him '_Kyouraku-taichou_' ever again.

**8. Petrified**

It was terrifying to know (for their opponents, at least) that even in the midst of a huge quarrel, they could still work in impeccable harmony.

**9. Sanctuary**

The rooftop that overlooked the small man-made pool in the middle of Sereitei was the one of the few places that Kyouraku and Ukitake felt at home. It was also the only place where they can drink sake, without other people to berate him for letting his best friend drink, and others gaping at Ukitake when they realize that he had a higher alcohol tolerance than the lackluster captain.

**10. Rejection**

The first time a girl said no to Ukitake's advances when they were young (_very_young, mind you), he accepted it with a gentle smile. It wasn't that bad; it didn't even hurt his ego, which was probably good, since he already had enough body problems as it were. When he heard that Kyouraku was also rejected (though it wasn't his first), on the same day, by the same girl, he was appalled to see a drunken man in _his_bed with another girl in his arms.

**11. Misfit**

Really, Ukitake wouldn't have minded; he was already used to Kyouraku's goofy attitude. But they were on _his_bed, and that was enough of a pain as it was.

**12. Syllogism**

If Kyouraku and Ukitake both had twin zanpakuto, and those zanpakuto were two of a kind, then Kyouraku and Ukitake were two of a kind.

**13. Sign**

The slight haze on his eyes told Kyouraku everything, and he immediately sauntered to Ukitake to hand him his own handkerchief, despite Ukitake's strained hesitance.

**14. Crimson**

The sound of coughing and the sight of blood repulsed Kyouraku, not because it was disgusting, but because it was his best friend experiencing the pain, yet he couldn't do anything about it.

**15. Immune**

Looking at Kyouraku's latest drunken state as he waltzed through the streets of Sereitei, many wondered how impervious Ukitake was of Kyouraku's antics that he could still walk and talk calmly beside the alcohol-smitten captain.

**16. Name**

'_Casanova_,' '_Jyu-chan_,' '_Handsome_,' '_Take-chan_,' '_Hero-face_,' '_White-haired-guy-eating-umeboshi-chazuke_,' and '_Shirou-chan_' were among the few nicknames that Kyouraku had managed to call Ukitake. The latter has yet to form his own nickname of his best friend.

**17. Ignorance**

Ukitake would cheerfully ignore the whispers and gossips of him and Kyouraku sleeping together, or something of the like, if only to avoid confrontations and misunderstandings. If only they saw how Kyouraku tries sincerely hard to get the romantic attention of his fukutaichou, then they would also see how often Ukitake stares into the stillness of the night, where he stared at a certain female captain daintily drinking her tea in quiet thoughtfulness.

**18. Luminance**

The brilliant light that crossed Ukitake's smile was enough for Kyouraku to know that his latest recipe was a success. Or, at least, an improvement from his past failures.

**19. Keepsake**

The pinwheel hairpin that he kept in his hair was the only remainder he had of his deceased mother, something that only Ukitake knew.

**20. Transient**

It was either a simple friendship for tens of thousands of years or a complicated acquaintance that would never last longer than it should. Knowing that it could be either, they tried to hold their simple promises of amity for as long as their life would permit.

**21. Bouquet**

When Ukitake woke up in the fourth division chambers after one of his attacks, he was both surprised and thoroughly amused at the knowledge that the first thing he saw was a big bouquet of flowers and a gigantic card that said, "Get better soon, my precious Jyu-chan. I'll be waiting on the rooftop so we could drink sake again! Lovingly Yours, Shunsui. (P.S. Don't tell Nanao-chan about our little rendezvous!)

**22. Mechanism**

Kyouraku worked simply. He disliked rules and fighting, and preferred to be sleeping on rooftops while watching a battle from afar. Ukitake preferred the verbal battle and will do anything to prevent unjust decisions. He never liked waiting at the end of the line, knowing that his turned might never come in the end.

It was a difficult thing to think about how these two collaborated in perfect sync, despite their obvious differences.

**23. Letters**

When people saw Kyouraku passing a letter to Ukitake during class, they thought it was a love letter, with all the little hearts expertly drawn on the piece of hastily folded paper. Ukitake smiled mischievously and Kyouraku smirked wickedly, one rarely seen in his face.

Tomorrow morning, students would wonder who _in the world _unscrewed the chairs and tables during the night.

**24. Umbrella**

"Shunsui, just get under the umbrella. And _please_, cover your sake bottle."

"Na, Jyu-chan, do you know that sake tasted better when mixed with rainwater?"

"That's just… _revolting_, Shunsui, now get under the umbrella or I swear upon all the living souls on earth, I will inform Unohana-taichou and Ise-fukutaichou of this madness and I will personally see to it that the sake bottles be hidden in some place you can't find them."

"Yare, yare. That's not nice, Jyu-chan."

"So is that sake, Shunsui."

**25. Minutes**

What was a short moment of hopelessness seemed like an entire eternity, until Ukitake woke up and assured Kyouraku that he wasn't going to allow himself to die any time soon.

**26. Wisdom**

"Na, Handsome, did you do our homework?"

"Yes, why?"

"Wow, you're so smart, Jyu-chan. Can you give it to me so I can copy it?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm smart."

**27. Glasses**

Kyouraku's lopsided frown and Ukitake's pursed lips were more intimidating that Nanao's glass-less face. The only reason that it was never talked about was that they only gave those looks to each other, and no one else. If those expressions were given to other people, then the fourth division would be laded with patients.

**28. Daydream**

When he noticed his best friend staring dreamily at the elegant 4th division captain bashfully during one of their captain meetings, he smiled and pulled his hat over his head.

**29. Friends**

"You betrayed me, Casanova."

"What did I do _now_, Shunsui?"

"I saw you staring at Retsu-chan during the meeting and even more so when she glided past your division."

"…"

"I feel betrayed."

"Will you forgive me if I say that I know where Ise-fukutaichou hid your stash of sake?"

"…"

"…"

"I LOVE YOU, JYU-CHAN!"

**30. Candy**

Kyouraku stared at all the sweets that Ukitake shoved into Hitsugaya's reluctant arms and knew very well, with added bitterness, that what Ukitake wanted was a small child to call his own. For now, Hitsugaya was an acceptable replacement.

**31. Truth**

"Don't lie to me, Jyu-chan! I know you stole my sake!"

"Since when did I ever lie to you, Shunsui?"

"… Never?"

"Exactly."

"That doesn't make any difference! You stole it! Now I don't have any more sake to drink tonight on the rooftop! I already drank most of my sake because I thought there would be a few more left for me to drink later on, but NO, there's no more sake because YOU STOLE IT!"

"There a few inside the chest, Shunsui. Have an extra stash if you want."

"…"

"Kaien-kun had a will, and he gave me every single stash of sake he had. Do you want them all?"

"I LOVE YOU, JYU-CHAN!"

**32. Irony**

Sometimes, Kyouraku wondered why it was also the kind-hearted Ukitake who suffered the most, when he did nothing but serve the justice in his heart and the goodness in his soul.

**33. Hand**

The hand on his shoulder told Ukitake that he should calm down. It also told him that it was time to go away from the place before Yamamoto-sensei smoldered everything (and every person) in that area to ashes due to his immeasurable anger.

**34. Hair**

Kyouraku knew that Ukitake's hair used to be black. Looking at him right now, he decided that white was a better color.

**35. Compliment**

"What did you do this time?"

"Na, Jyu-chan, you sound like I did something wrong! I only told my Nanao-chan that I think her book has been covering far too much of her beautiful face that she looks ugly carrying it around!"

"… and you think that's a _compliment_?"

**36. Scold**

"Shunsui! What is this?"

"A… picture?"

"Yes! Of a naked woman in a shower! Why did you put that on your sensei's wall?"

"I didn't –"

"Don't do that again!"

"Genryuusai-sensei, it's not –"

"And_you_, Jyushirou! Why did you help him?"

"I didn't –"

"If I didn't have a prickle of understanding in my veins, you two would have been already expelled from this school!"

**37. Alliance**

"Do you really think that Kuchiki brat should have won that '_Captain We Desire To Release a Photo Book For_' poll?" said Kyouraku, huffing uncharacteristically on a chair in front of Ukitake's desk, deliberately shaking the table to break Ukitake's concentration. "It seems so unrealistic."

Ukitake wore a thin smile, one that bordered amusement and annoyance, though it really didn't seem as though it had an effect on the other captain. "Stop calling him a brat now, Shunsui; he's a Gotei 13 captain now, just like us two. And I don't care for the poll, so I can't really answer that one."

"Really?" murmured Kyouraku, settling his chin over his hand while his elbow rested on the table. "So you don't want to join me in a prank against the brat?"

"I told you; don't call him a brat anymore," said Ukitake, cautiously raising an eyebrow. "I won't join you unless I get something out of it."

"You can do the torturing this time; I'll just do the watching and the cleaning up."

"… Deal."

**38. Zero**

As Ukitake watched how Kyouraku interacted with Ise Nanao from the railings of the second fall of his division's building, he concluded that Kyouraku's understanding of women's emotions had gone from zilch to nil. It was proven enough when the young fukutaichou hit her captain with a book and pulled him by the ear, taking him away from the public eye and inside to his office where mountains of paperwork awaited his return.

**39. Women**

"Ne, Jyu-chan, I can't understand women. They're always so needy, emotional, and unpredictable. Today I asked my Nanao-chan how her day is, and she threw a book at me!"

"Shunsui."

"Yeah?"

"It's Ise-fukutaichou's birthday today."

"… Oh crap."

**40. Enemies**

If an adversary were lucky enough, then they would get a taste of how their duo functioned.

**41. Breathtaking**

Just getting a _look_ at their shikai's true form was never heard of before. Being able to see them in action was a sight that should be etched in memory forever.

**42. Question**

When asked why he stood beside the drunken Kyouraku for all those years, Ukitake would just smile and claim that he couldn't think of an answer, because every time he thought about it, his head would hurt too much.

**43. Show**

Seeing fireworks _inside_their sensei's classroom was a true spectacle indeed, and watching from the school library's rooftop wasn't that much bad at all.

**44. Fallacies**

Everyone was sure that it was all Kyouraku's fault, but Ukitake convinced them otherwise, even Genryuusai-sensei.

**45. Pride**

A shinigami's pride never allowed one to leave a fallen comrade on his or her own without help. That was why fully trusted Yoruichi to finish the task of taking care of Ukitake's subordinates as the two fought their own respective battle with Yamamoto-soutaichou, a battle that they knew they would never, _ever_, back away from, no matter how useless it was.

**46. Patience**

Kyouraku wiped his face irritably, and Ukitake laughed beside him. Howcould a person cut an onion without _crying_? It's impossible!

**47. Pessimistic**

"I've been thinking," started Ukitake despondently, sitting on the soft grass while Kyouraku lied down beside him, "what if Unohana-taichou and Kurotsuchi-taichou can't find a cure for my sickness, Shunsui? What if the coughing never stopped, and I just wither on the ground in death. What if –"

"Jyu-chan?"

Ukitake turned, eyes widening when a clenched fist crashed on his face, hitting his left cheek with an incredible amount of force, leaving a strong, crimson tinge. He looked at Kyouraku with disbelief, but the 8th division captain turned his head around before they could make eye contact, drinking the last of his sake.

Seconds later, Ukitake laughed.

**48. Mutual**

It was a mutual agreement that whoever received the love of the woman they were pining for first would get the other as his servant. As expected, Ukitake had Kyouraku wrapped around his finger for at least a week until he decided that there was no fun in making the other do things he didn't want to. Kyouraku silently agreed.

**49. Commitment**

Taking care of each other wasn't a responsibility that they were obliged to do. It was an unspoken promise of an endless friendship that assured the two individuals that they would comfort each other through the rough times.

**50. Dilemma**

In the midst of a quandary that they could not escape, there was always the two of them to make the most of what they could do. Shunsui to put them into trouble's way and Ukitake to cover up the aftermath. Shunsui to sit back and relax and Ukitake to fight the winnable verbal war. Shunsui to get the most out of every gory adventure and Ukitake to pull them out of the death row.

**51. Insanity**

At the cost of others' good perception in their sanity, Kyouraku and Ukitake decided to save Rukia from an unjust penalty of death that she didn't deserve to have.

**52. Revenge**

"How much longer?"

"Five minutes."

"Can't we just kill him, Jyu-chan?"

"That's not enough, Kyouraku. Besides, I don't think Urahara-kun would ever be the same again if he realizes that we're assaulting him at the same _exact_time that he pulled that prank on us before."

"If sensei finds out –"

"Then that's an even better payback, ne? I can always pull us out of trouble."

"True."

**53. Amusement**

Kyouraku laughed as loud as his throat would allow him when they finally arrived inside their shared dormitory. Instead of being punished, they were merely asked to take care next time, and the young Ichimaru Gin was the one blamed for the matter of one of their sensei covered in sticky pink flowers that wouldn't go away. Ukitake was really a scary person when the occasion calls for it.

**54. Persevere**

When help was nowhere in sight, Kyouraku used the last of his reiatsu to pull off a certain healing technique that Unohana had taught him a while back. If it meant that Ukitake would return from his near-death state, then he would sacrifice every little thing he had to save him. He only stopped when he felt the reiatsu of Unohana approaching them and when he saw the Ukitake's eyebrows furrowing. Kyouraku was glad he held out that long, before he collapsed beside his partner.

**55. Coffee**

Knowing that Kyouraku wasn't particularly fond of any drink that wasn't alcoholic, Ukitake blissfully walked inside a shop to buy his friend a huge stack of coffee.

**56. Bias**

"Kyouraku, I know you're still bitter that Retsu-san agreed to date me and not you, but you were the one who tried to cajole her into sleeping with you, not me. So please, stop insulting her braid. Just because it's weird doesn't mean it's ugly."

**57. Overindulge**

Kyouraku woke up one morning with the pain of a hangover from last night's escapade. The next thing he knew was Ukitake dragging him to his bathroom despite his petite body and threatening to turn on the cold water on him if he didn't wake up that instant.

**58. Discovery**

Upon the immediate discovery of the true forms of their zanpakuto, Ukitake and Kyouraku smiled identically to each other. Things would become more exciting from that point onward.

**59. Matrix**

Their souls were instantly connected even before the day they met each other. Despite the obvious dissimilarities, their life threads were drawn to each other without any use of an explanation.

**60. Wanderlust**

"Ukitake-taichou," said Ise Nanao, as she entered Ukitake's office with frantic panting. Ukitake knew immediately that something was horribly wrong with Kyouraku. "I could not find Kyouraku-taichou anywhere. I've tried to sense is reiatsu, but it seems that he is hiding it from me. Do you know if…?"

Ukitake smiled knowingly, but not near predictable enough for Nanao to decipher. "Don't worry much about him, Ise-fukutaichou. I'm sure he's just somewhere, wandering."

When Nanao was calm enough to leave his office with dignity, Ukitake sighed irritably. He had to look for Kyouraku before the day ends,_wherever he was_.

**61. Walk**

"I knew you'd be here, Shunsui," said Ukitake, appearing suddenly beside him. They were in one of their most secretive meeting places, a Sakura tree on top of a hill that was far enough from Sereitei, one the no one, not even Yamamoto-soutaichou, knew about. Kyouraku, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, cracked one eyes and smiled lazily. "Your fukutaichou is worried about you."

He raised an amused eyebrow and asked, "Is she? I apologize. I was merely talking a stroll, Jyushirou."

"While hiding your reiatsu," said Ukitake, apparently not seeing the point of the matter.

"So that she wouldn't bother me with paperwork for the rest of the evening," answered Kyouraku.

**62. Confession**

When Ukitake confessed to Kyouraku, the latter wondered why it took the white-haired captain so long to admit that he was the one who threw tomatoes at Isshin's head during one of the plays they were forced to participate on in the Academy.

**63. Piccolo**

The high-pitched tone of Ukitake's voice guaranteed Kyouraku that he was certainly nervous upon seeing the sight of Unohana, not dressed in her usual shinigami uniform, but of a normal kimono worthy of a beautiful like her. It also guaranteed the truth of how much of a quixotic idiot Ukitake really was.

**64. Shogi**

If there was one thing that Ukitake cannot possibly compete in against Kyouraku, it was the mind puzzles that they used to play when they were younger.

**65. Justice**

"Genryuusai-sensei, I don't think that it's fair that you'd only blame Shunsui for destroying the left wing of the school building. He only did that because he was provoked by Kurosaki-kun and Urahara-kun. Why won't you blame them for provoking Shunsui? I think it's only reasonable and acceptable."

**66. Silence**

When Kyouraku first saw the blood from Ukitake's mouth, he sighed and helped his friend to go down to the school healer's office. Some things were better left unsaid.

**67. Hats**

When Ukitake's birthday came, Kyouraku didn't have any gift to give to the white-haired taichou, although he knew very well that Ukitake would never mind, just as long as Kyouraku would greet him. But that didn't stop him from being infuriated at his own self for not bothering to buy his best friend anything.

When he arrived at that morning's captain meeting for their reports, he greeted Ukitake a wonderful birthday (in his own fashion) and fulfilled one of his more childish (and very rare) whims. He placed his straw hat over Ukitake's brilliant hair and told him that he could wear it for the rest of the day.

**68. Smile**

Ukitake's grin at that moment was by far the brightest he had ever seen.

The faces of the other captains, even the stone-faced Kuchiki, was by far the most bewildered and impressed looks that he had ever encountered.

He cracked a genuine smile of his own.

**69. Nostalgia**

Sight of Yamamoto-soutaichou as he called upon his zanpakuto brought back distant memories to Ukitake, especially that certain memory where Kyouraku literally dragged him to a practice match that he bribed their sensei into accepting. He looked at Kyouraku and cracked a small yet sad smile, for he knew that Kyouraku felt the same.

**70. Rebel**

Since the beginning of their Academy days, they supported each other even under the steely gaze of Genryuusai-sensei, who was then (and still is) considered the most terrifying man on Soul Society. Even if it meant bending the rules a bit, they would never leave each other's presence.

**72. Fall**

Kyouraku knew that even if Ukitake had fallen from grace, he would be there to pull him back up or descend with him, even if it meant discarding everything he had made for himself. If all those meant that he would see Ukitake's precious smile again, then so be it.

**72. Time**

Time passes quickly, Ukitake noted, as he wanted the sunrise languidly, with Kyouraku snoring beside him. He wondered whether time would permit him to be able to savor his life a little longer with his best friend on this rooftop that they've shared since their Academy days.

**73. Without**

If there was no Ukitake by his side, then Kyouraku was only a disgruntled soul with only a lone sake bottle in his hand, not bothering to drink the last drops until his partner comes back to greet him.

**74. Remain**

When all was said and done, Ukitake knew that there was still Kyouraku and his midnight sake rituals to keep him away from the boredom of uptight responsibility or the sorrow feeling of his dire sickness.

**75. Two**

They will always be a pair: inseparable and irreplaceable, with their incandescent camaraderie shining for more ages to come.

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A/N: Feedback is greatly appreciated. It keeps writers like me truly motivated to write more :3 


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